Shelf file



C. R. CI -IAMBERLIN SHELF FILE Filed June 29, 1955 INVENTOR. COLEMAN R. CHAMBERLIN United States Patent SHELF FILE Coleman Rockwood Chamberlin, Thompson Ridge, N.Y.

Application June 29, 1955, Serial No. 518,880

2 Claims. (Cl. 21110) My invention relates to an improvement in a shelf file and its novelty consists in the combination and arrangement of parts as will be more fully hereinafter pointed out.

There have been many attempts to solve the problem of vertical filing on shelves but they all lack the simple combination which my device furnishes in solving all the problems involved.

Each of my units combines a base with means for securing thereto vertical partitioning units or racks in rigid fixed position thereon but which can be readily detached as may be desired.

Also my device is adapted to rest on and fit standard filing shelves and contains means for preventing the material filed therein from sliding out front or back due to vibration or accidental knocking.

Being preferably constructed of metal and stiff wire it is durable and also is constructed so that it can be readily assembled and disassembled for flat packing for shipment or storage.

Also it is a full view vertical filing unit that insures accuracy in filing and in locating files and is safe for important papers, flat merchandise, catalogs, books and phonograph records.

Being a complete combination unit it can be used on top of desks, tables, or filing cabinets or in the drawers of filing cabinets.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective of the front end partitioning rack. Fig. 2 is a perspective of one of the remaining racks of one of the other dividers. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the complete device with a break in the middle for convenience of illustration. Fig. 4 is an end view of Fig. 3 looking from the left hand end of same. Fig. 5 is a cross section of the clip or holding means on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is a perspective of my device in operating position on a shelf.

The improved filing device is formed of a single piece of wire shaped to form subframes or partitioning racks with bases, sides and open ends. The device comprises an end or front partitioning rack 10, viewing the left hand end of Figs. 4 and 6 as the front end of the device, and a plurality of other partitioning racks 22 positioned in spaced relationship behind the front rack 10.

With particular reference to Fig. 1, the end or front rack 10 comprises a rectangular-shaped frame formed of a single piece of wire and having sides and open ends. One side of rack 10 comprises vertical portions 11, 11 of the wire, at the ends of the rack forming end corner posts. From the top of the vertical portions 11, 11 the wire is bent at right angles inwardly extending portions 11, 11 extending in opposed directions. At the inner ends of the portions 11 11 the wire is slanted downwardly forming slanting portions 13, 13 which cross each other at the center of the rack as indicated at 12 and continue in opposed directions, terminating in vertically disposed portions 14, 14 constituting intermediate vertical posts spaced from each other and connected at their bottom ends by an integral horizontal portion 15, the vertical Patented May 5, 1959 portions 14, 14 being spaced inwardly of the corner end posts 11, 11.

The other side of the rack 10 is constructed similarly, with vertical end corner portions or posts 17, 17, bent at right angles at their tops forming horizontally disposed inwardly extending portions 19, 19. Portions 19, 19 terminate in downwardly slanting portions 20, 20, which cross each other as indicated at 21. The slanting portions 20, 20 terminate in vertical portions or inter-mediate posts 18, 18 disposed parallel to vertical portions 14, 14 at the other side of the rack; At the bottom ends of the vertical portions 18, 18, the wire is bent at right angles forming horizontal transverse portions 16, 16 the free ends of which are fastened to the bottom ends of the vertical portions 14, 14 at-the other side of the rack by soldering, welding or in any other suitable manner. At each end, the vertical corner portions 11 and 17 are connected at their bottom ends by a horizontal portion 16 of the wire. An uninterrupted space or pocket is thus provided between the sides and ends of the rack 10 for supporting filed objects in a vertical side by side arrangement.

The horizontal portions 15, 16, 16 and 16', 16 constitute the base of the rack 10 for supporting the same on a supporting surface.

The racks or subframes 22 are arranged in spaced relation rearwardly of the rack 10. As best seen in Fig. 2, each rack 22 consists of a single piece of wire shaped to form a substantially L-shaped body having a horizontally disposed flat base and a vertically disposed flat side. Each rack 22 is formedfrom a single piece of wire with horizontally disposed end portions 23, 23. The end portions 23, 23 terminate at one end in a horizontally disposed portion 24 connecting said ends, and with vertically disposed rack end portions 25, 25. At the top of the vertical portions 25, 25 the wire is bent at right angles inwardly forming horizontally disposed portions 29, 29 extending in opposite directions towards each other, and both termimating in downwardly slanting portions 27, 27 which cross each other as indicated at 28. The slanting portions 27, 27, continue into vertically disposed portions 26, 26 which are aligned with the end vertical portion 25, 25. At the bottom of vertically disposed portions 26, 26, the wire is bent at right angles forming horizontally disposed portions 23, 23' which extend to the horizontally disposed portion 24 and are fastened thereto by soldering, welding and the like. The horizontal portions 23, 23 and 23, 23' constitute the base of the rack and the vertically disposed portions 25, 25, 26, 26 and the portions 27, 27, 29, 29 constitute the vertical side of the rack.

A rigid rectangular base 30 preferably of metal having an upturned object-retaining element or flange 31 the entire length of the rear edge also has an underturned element 32 N-shaped in cross-section sup-porting it in a back tilted position and which in the preferred form as shown runs the entire length of said base front edge.

Stamped up on the upper side of said base 30 along the entire central portion are a series of pairs of evenly spaced clips 33 which have an upwardly arched portion 34 forming a pocket 35 and having an opening 36 all of which face in the same direction.

A second series of pairs of clips 37 are formed identical to 33 but are evenly spaced in pairs set in from each edge of base 30 facing each other and being also evenly spaced from each pair of clips 33 so that each pair of clips 33 and the adjoining pair of clips 37 form the fastening means for the partitioning units or racks, 10 and 22.

The setting up of my shelf file is very simple and can be effected very quickly. As the base 30 has pairs of clips 33 which are properly spaced for the purpose the first partitioning unit 10 can be locked in vertical position on base 30 by pressing horizontal portion 15 into lock ing position under the first pair of central clips 33 and ing engagement in the first pair of side clips 37 so that unit 10 will be locked in vertical position on base 30. This first unit 10 has a rear side, namely portions 17, 18, 19, and 20 and with the first front side, namely, portions formed by 11, 11a, 13, 14 and 15 together make a pocket for the material to be filed therein.

The second and all other units or racks 22 have a horizontal portion 24 which is adapted to be engaged under the second and the following pairs of central clips 33 and the end portions 23 of said racks are adapted to be engaged under the second and following pairs of side clips 37 so that the racks 22 will be held in rigid vertical position on base 30 and with the adjacent vertical sides of the racks just ahead of them will form pockets for the material to be filed therein.

The base 30 with the vertical partitioning racks 10 and 22 thus mounted thereon is adapted to be set on an open shelf and the material to be filed is placed in said file pockets formed by said racks 10 and 22 and the phonograph records or other material thus filed is prevented from sliding out at either end by the tilting of the base 30 and at the rear by the rear retaining element 31.

My advice therefore is adapted to and actually furnishes both a safe and completely full view vertical filing on an open shelf 38 which is filled with vertical files and this complete unit can be readily removed from shelf 38 and placed on a desk or table top without disturbing the files.

Shelf 38 may be prepared as base 30 with the clips 33 and 37 formed directly therein so that the vertical filing will then be done directly on the shelf 38.

Many other variations may be made in my shelf file without departing from the spirit and intent of the same.

I claim:

1. The combination of a rectangular-shaped supporting base, spaced clips disposed centrally thereof, spaced clips disposed along the elongated edges thereof, a plurality of spaced partitioning racks disposed in spaced relation on said base, from front to rear, said racks each having horizontal side and end portions secured to said clips, the rack at one end of the base having a horizontally disposed base and vertically disposed spaced sides and open ends forming a filing pocket, the next adjacent rack having a horizontally disposed base and a vertically disposed side spaced from the adjacent side of said end rack thereby forming a filing pocket therebetween, the remaining racks each having a horizontally disposed base and a vertically disposed side spaced from the side of the next adjacent rack thereby providing filing pockets, said central clips each having an opening facing one of the short ends of the base, for receiving the horizontal side portions of the racks, the edge clips each having an opening facing the opposed long end edge of the base for receiving the horizontal end portions of the racks.

2. In a device of the kind described, a rectangular shaped base, pairs of spaced clips extending centrally of the base in spaced relation, the clips opening toward one end of the base clips spaced along each long side edge of the base, said clips being in opposed relation and opening inwardly, a substantially U-shaped wire rack removably secured between the end clips, and inverted L-shaped wire racks spaced from said U-shaped rack along the base to the opposite end thereof, said L-shaped racks being removably fastened to the remaining clips on the base, said U-shaped rack and inverted L-shaped racks defining pockets for filing objects therebetween, an upstanding flange along one long side edge of the base and a downwardly extending inverted L-shaped flange along the opposite long side edge thereof whereby the device may be supported in a tilted position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 423,647 Wells Mar. 18, 1890 2,086,508 Mueller July 6, 1937 2,332,193 Beder Oct. 19, 1943 2,511,730 McClain June 13, 1950 2,646,801 Chamberlin July 28, 1953 2,659,917 Drum Nov. 24, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 692,401 Great Britain June 3, 1953 

